STAPLES - For the second consecutive year, Lakewood Health System has been recognized for reducing the number of elective inductions and Cesarean deliveries performed before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy, as well as having an elective induction rate of less than 5 percent. March of Dimes says this will give more babies a healthy start in life. Babies delivered before full-term (39-41 weeks of gestation) are at increased risk of serious health problems and death in their first year of life.
"We're proud of our expert team of physicians and nurses who saw this opportunity to improve care in our community and put in place policies to avoid scheduling elective inductions or caesarean deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy, except when medically necessary," said Tim Rice, Lakewood President and CEO, in a news release.
This achievement is recognized through a banner from the March of Dimes and Minnesota Hospital Association.
"This recognition by the March of Dimes is something to be proud of," said Dr. Erik Dovre, Lakewood OB/GYN, in a news release. "Everyone has realized how important those extra couple of weeks really are, and they're doing what they can to make sure no unnecessary steps are taken. Our whole team, not just one or two motivated individuals, have made all the difference."
Babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants. Recent research by the March of Dimes, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that although the overall threat is small, the risk of death more than doubles for infants born at 37 weeks of pregnancy when compared to babies born at 40 weeks, for all races and ethnicities.
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"The last weeks of pregnancy are important. Babies aren't just putting on weight; they are undergoing important development of the brain, lungs and other vital organs," says Lawrence Massa, March of Dimes Board Member and Minnesota Hospital Association President and CEO. "I commend Lakewood Health System for being a champion for babies with their quality improvement effort."
In partnership with the Minnesota Hospital Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the March of Dimes has been getting out the word that "Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait." The campaign urges women to wait for labor to begin on its own if their pregnancy is healthy, rather than scheduling delivery before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy.
In Minnesota, March of Dimes worked with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and hospitals to adopt policies against medically unnecessary deliveries before 39 weeks. This change went into effect in January, 2012. Minnesota Hospital Association numbers show the number of early elective deliveries has decreased by 87 percent.
The March of Dimes offers professional and consumer education materials about the importance of a full-term pregnancy and the critical development of the brain, lungs and other organs that occur during the last weeks of pregnancy. More information is available at marchofdimes.com/39weeks .
